Wichita eagle., 1887-10-26

graceful head. Not one Of the principesse,
duchesse and contesse who glanced at her
with veiled, well bred contempt from under
their naughty eyelids could compare with her
for beauty or charm. They were mortally
| jealous Of her. Princess Ghigi went so far es
| TO refuse Pussy's hand in the grand chain Of
| the lancers. On the other hand, some Of the
| most magnificent male grandees OF Rome laid
themselves beneath the little, white slippered
feet of the California girl. Pussy seemed to
say to me with her eyes, GAIL this triumph
| and success and homage are for your She
danced the cotillion with me. and Count
Castelnuovo, who led it, looked stilettos and
vendetta. The supreme moment of my Life
came when found myself alone for moment
with Pussy in a little, pale blue satin alcoye,
lined with shining mirrors, that gave back
the reflection Of her slender white figure !
had just cloaked her with marvellous hooded
mantle Of white feathers, and her blue eyes
looked UP into mine, like forget me nots
Springing from under snow drift. Coquet
as she was, there was no coquetry in that
glance.
Just then loud laugh in the corridor broke
the silence. hurried Pussy out of the alcove,
and found Mrs Black waiting with Count
Castelnuovo at the head of the stairs among
the palm trees. Mrs Black looked brilliantly
handsome and rather vulgar. She wore an
uncommonly self satisfied expression.
aMr Bruce" said the ex-circus rider, i'm
periously, will you give me your arm, and
let Count Castelnuovo escort my daughterF'
Pussy reminded me of beautiful, great
white bird as she skinned down the stairs
before me in her feather cloak, with Count
Castelnuovo playing the part of a hungry,
fortune hunting hawk.
had barely seated myself ct Mrs. Fender
lips side at the pension dinner table, on the
following evening, when that good lady put
up her eyeglass. and looked at me inquisi-
lively. Il suppose you've heard the news"
she said.
"The old newsa The Wall street panica
That happened two weeks ago"
"No. Pussy Blacks engagement to Count
Castelnuoyo."
The blow fell with cruel force. 1 kept my
countenance, but l was badly hit
Il thought Hrs Black was playing for q
title" said Mrs. Penderlip. "She announced
the engagement to oil her friends this after
noon. heard it discussed at Mrs. De Ha-
ven's tea. Mrs. De Haven is New York
woman. She has never been willing to know
Mrs. Black, but, of course, a titled son-in-law
will make great difference. I told Mrs. De
Haven today that there was no truth what
ever in the story that Mrs. B. had been cir
Gus rider, CT that her mother sold cabbages.
/ said that I had known Mrs. B. since she
was child, and that her mother was very
lovely woman, and a perfect lady. You see"
pursued this worldly old person, II heard this
morning that the Wall street panic cuts my
income down one-half. 15would DO quito i'm
possible for re to exist in America on my re-
duced capital, so that shall have to end my
days in Europe. I can make an excellent |
living as pedigree voucher for newly en-
riched Americans"
Mrs. Penderlip's eyeglasses fell on her plate !
with sardonic crash.
@Between ourselves" she continued, picking !
them up, "this engagement has been the saw
ing grace of the Blacks. Their social race
was almost run, and Ihave it on good author /
ity that their names were to have been stricken /
off the court list before the next bail Of the |
Quirinal. Mrs. Black had the indiscretion to |
send an arm chair made Of piece of Cali
fornia big tree to his majesty, and she fav- |
ored the queen with q floral Offering in the |
shape Of q goose of white camellias SWIM
ming in sea OF gore represented by red
ones"
finished my dinner in silence, and strolled
DOWN to the Corso and past the Hotel dana
yleterre, where left card for Mrs. Black. |
tried to feel gay and festive, and 1 hummed
10 myself as I walked a celebrated American
melody, "a Climbin' up de Golden Stairss
But the rollicking tune sounded like the fun
'ral dirge Of my affections. For was not my
acquaintance with Pussy Black closely con-
1ected with stairs? And had not Pussy
climbed to o title On the golden stairs Of her
ather's California minel I smiled grimly at
he Whimsical bitterness Of my thoughts, but
ny heart was heavy within me, for the ons
owe Of my life was the future Countess Cas-
elnuovo, the child of tho "Circus Blacks D.
:. Adams in The Epoch.